Kallis predicts highest wicket-taker of World Cup 2023

Jacques Kallis, one of the greatest all-rounders of all time, had his say on who will be the highest wicket-taker ahead of the World Cup 2023. 

Kallis makes bold claim

The ex-Proteas all-rounder with 273 ODI wickets made a brave prediction as he believes his countryman and speedster Anrich Nortje will be the leading wicket taker of the World Cup 2023.

Kallis’s claims carry a significant esteem in the cricketing world and this will come as a huge boost to Nortje himself, seeing an icon backing him. His words also be a great morale builder for the South Africa team as a whole, as they haven’t had the best cricketing year in 2023. 

What did Kallis say?

Kallis predicts the highest wicket-taker of World Cup 2023
Photo by Icon Sport

Kallis believes that Anrich Nortje, with his express pace and wicket-taking ability, will not only claim the coveted top wicket-taker spot, but also help South Africa progress in the tournament. 

“For me, I am going to go with Anrich Nortje. He’s South African, I’ve got to go for him and he’s bowling well at the moment. Hopefully, he’ll keep that form into the World Cup and play a big role in helping us go very far in the World Cup,” the great man said in an interview.

A devastating fast bowler with pace to burn, Nortje can be described as a late bloomer in the ODI format. His express pace makes him a wicket-taking threat in any condition, as shown by his record of 36 wickets in 21 ODI at an average of 25.7 and a strike rate of 27.1.

2023 has been a productive year for him, which may be part of the reason for Kallis’s optimism. The Protea ace has taken 9 wickets in 5 games, with an average of 21.44. 

Other contenders in the World Cup 2023

There are other players who would like to claim the top wicket-taker spot for themselves. We have looked at 3 other bowlers who may create history in the 2023 World Cup by topping the wicket-taking chart in the tournament.

Jasprit Bumrah

With the World Cup being played in his own backyard, Bumrah will have something to say about taking wickets. India’s premier bowler has 121 wickets in 72 ODI games at a staggering average of 24.3, he is certainly a contender. 

Read also: Rohit Sharma not treating Asia Cup as World Cup rehearsal.

Shaheen Shah Afridi

Afridi’s rise has been a great story of Pakistan cricket. Tall, fast, and capable of swinging the ball, he will look to continue on his career trajectory of 78 wickets in just 40 games at an incredible strike rate of 25.6 and claim the accolade on hostile territory. 

Wanindu Hasaranga

While he is better known for his T20 exploits, the Indian pitches should suit his bowling perfectly and amplify his wicket taking ability. He has 67 wickets in 47 games, but his wicket taking has seen a significant boost in recent times. 

Jish BJish B

Born to a cricket-crazy father and a writer mother, Jish combined his parents' passions to fuel his own dreams of being a sports journalist. If it's got a scoring system and needs to be written about, chances are this guy has written about it.